Pilate offered an escape route — for Jesus and for himself. He could have released an innocent man and done what was right. But he was looking for the crowd's permission rather than doing what he already knew was just.
Memory phrase: Pilate looked for permission to do right.
Talk about it: Why do you think Pilate needed the crowd's permission to do what he already knew was right?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me do what is right even without permission from the crowd.